Shakeology.......What's the scoop??

 

 

 

Maybe you’ve seen my shaker cup that has it written down the side, saw it on one of the meal plans I’ve posted or noticed it in a post I’ve written and wondered what it was all about but didn’t want to ask. It’s ok. I’ve been there. I remember seeing people on FB posting pictures with their strategically placed shaker (not throwing shade, mine's just "happened" to be sitting in the perfect place and lighting for a photo op) and wanting to know more, but didn’t want to ask for fear of them trying to push their product on me. I would see others in the comments ask about it and they would immediately get the “I’ll send you a pm! (followed by the smiley face emoji). So I did what any intelligent adult would do and I googled it. 

 

From my 10 minute internet search I determined it was likely a scam and just an overpriced protein shake. So I invested in some other products that I saw FB friends posting about.

 

 

 While searching for healthy kids snacks one day on pinterest, I came across a blog that really struck a cord with me. As I began to follow her blog and her FB page, I realized she was a beachbody coach. Her passion for the products, especially Shakeology, peaked my interest again. While I still wasn’t brave enough to message her about it, I noticed her posts often were about Shakeology and Beachbody and how they had changed her life in more ways than one.

 

 

See, I’m one of these people who will try anything once. I mean how else are you going to find something you love. I am a sucker for “as seen on TV” products. So I decided to take the plunge, but was too embarrassed to tell Jim I was going to spend $130 on a “superfood shake”. Instead, I used some of my leftover birthday money and sold some things online and ordered it. (At the time I didn’t realize bb offered a “30 day bottom of the bag money back guarantee”.) I’ve been drinking it every day for over a year now.

 

CRAVINGS

I immediately loved the way it tasted. I have always made it in a blender with ice so it’s almost like a Wendy’s frosty consistency. Within a couple weeks I noticed a major decrease in my cravings for sweets. That was like gold for me. I have a serious sweet tooth, especially for chocolate so having these chocolate shakes that were super healthy was like the best of both worlds. After delving into the research behind it, I came to learn exactly how the bazillion vitamins and nutrients in Shakeology were curbing the cravings. I’m no nutritionist, but from what I’ve gathered our bodies crave unhealthy foods because they are deficient of certain nutrients. That's why after a few weeks of feeding my body these nutrients it was lacking, my craving began to fade. With sugar, the more you eat it, the more you crave it, so as my craving decreased I ate less and less until eventually I didn’t crave it at all.  

 

MORE ENERGY

Unlike with the craving, I can’t really pinpoint a time frame when I noticed that I had more energy, but definitely over the last year my energy has increased A LOT. I used to feel run down fairly often, now I don’t. Do I contribute it solely to the Shakeology? Of course not, but I think it probably does have something to do with it!

 

 

 WEIGHT LOSS

Shakeology is NOT a weight loss drink, but as a result of the daily dose of nutrients you get from it, you will likely lose weight. Weight loss is a by-product of good nutrition. Have I lost weight? A few pounds, but I’ve also started incorporating weights into my workouts, so I’ve gained muscle and muscle weighs more than fat and well, so the answer to that is kind of confusing. About 5 lbs lost if were just talking numbers. J

 

 MENTAL CLARITY

Some people claim they have increased mental clarity. I don’t even know what that is!

 

Is it a protein shake?

No, but it does contain a decent amount of protein. Nothing over the top, but some. Americans aren’t really protein deficient, anyways. We get enough of that in our diets.

 

 Is it a meal replacement?

It is marketed as one, but I drink it as either a snack or meal. I eat 5-6 times a day, so if I use it as a “meal” (7am, 12:30pm, 5pm) then my next “snack” will consist of a larger amount of food.  

 

 Is it worth $130/month?

To me, yes. Will everyone feel the same way? No. But for me I LOVE the way I feel now. I feel and have felt better over the last year than I remember feeling in a long time. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally, as well. I think they all go hand in hand, but if Shakeology makes me feel better physically and that in turn makes me feel better in other areas, then it’s worth it as far as I’m concerned. Also, within the last couple years I’ve really began to pay more attention to what I’m putting in my body. Shakeology does NOT contain synthetic, man-made ingredients, instead, it’s whole, natural foods that come from all over the world ground into a powder and made to taste good! It contains no soy and no artificial sweeteners or flavors. All that said, as a coach I do save about $15 each month, so that helps.  J

 

If you were curious, I hope this helps.

~Kelli


Follow me on FB at Kelli Harris Fitness or search @kelliharris.fit



Friday Night Stir-Fry

What do you cook on a Friday night (or really any night) when you have random veggies that need to be cooked?

Stir-Fry, of course!!

Here is the recipe I use. Now keep in mind I don't always measure out ingredients, but that's what is great about stir fry. It's not exact. If you only have 3 cups of veggies or 1 lb of chicken, no problem!

Friday Night Stir-Fry

• 1.5 lbs chicken breast cut into 1 in. cubes
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (or just buy the little jar of minced garlic like I do.)
• 1.5 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 4 Tbsp  reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1-2 tsp honey
• 4 cups veggies (just whatever you have. I usually end up using bell peppers, broccoli, green beans, carrots, you get the picture.)
• 1.5 tsp cornstarch
• Brown rice - 4 servings

Add a couple teaspoons of EVOO to pan; heat over medium heat. Add chicken and sautee 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and continue sautéing for a couple minutes until chicken is white throughout. Add 1 cup of the broth, the soy sauce and honey. Cover and cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring twice. Add vegetables. When using broccoli I wait and add it in the last 5 minutes or else it get over cooked/mushy, falls apart and looks a mess.

Cover and cook about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until veggies are crisp-tender. Time may vary. People may like their veggies more crisp than we do, so I suggest doing a taste test after about 8 minutes to see where you're at. Mix cornstarch with remaining 1/2 cup broth and then pour and stir into chicken mixture. Cook while stirring frequently, until sauce is thickened. Serve on top of brown rice, and garnish with toasted sesame seeds if you are super fancy. Serves about 3-4.

 

 

It's that time of year...Summer and Swimsuits

Summer is quickly approaching and with that comes swimsuit weather. Just the thought of going into a store, picking out a mom-appropriate swim suit and trying it on only to find that it looks awful makes me cringe. And to be quite honest, I hadn't bought a new swimsuit since having Karmen (who is almost 8 years old). I have bought a top or bottoms here and there out of desperation but not something I really liked or wanted.

I remember going to shop for swimsuits two years ago and hating everything. Nothing fit right. My boobs were flat from nursing 3 kids, my waist was wider than before and my butt seemed to be sliding down my legs. Tenley was just over a year old and while I didn't have "baby weight" to lose, it was obvious that I had carried a baby/babies. Nothing was remotely toned, even my arms made me cringe. Why did having kids make my arms flabby??? I sat in the fitting room almost in tears. I had never been the girl who was super judgmental of her body. I had always kind of accepted what God gave me and been quite content with it. Why now, after having 3 beautiful babies, was I unhappy with my body. I had read articles about women who loved their body (stretch marks and all) more after having babies because of what it had given them. I thought that was me. Well, apparently it wasn't. Needless to say, my trip was a loss and I left with a pair of black bottoms simply because my previous pair had stretched out so much I was in fear of losing them if entering a body of water.

A month or two after the swimsuit fiasco is when I began my fitness journey. Not because I wanted to look good in a bikini, but because I just wanted to feel more confident and have more energy. (And maybe to get away by myself for 30-45 minutes a day. :) ) 

Well, fast forward to last Spring. Swimsuit time again! I had been working out for almost a year so I felt pretty good. My Target redcard was ready for some action! I picked out a handful of cute suits and headed to the fitting room. To my surprise, still nothing fit (at least not like I wanted it to). I stood looking at myself in the mirror and thinking, "I have worked so hard for the last year, why is my stomach not flatter, waist not smaller, thighs still touch and still have cellulite?" Eventually, I finally found one top that looked decent and left disappointed once again. Disappointed in my progress, disappointed in myself and disappointed in Target for having such crappy mirrors!

It was about this time that I started T25 and began following a few Beachbody coaches on FB. Following one or two led to many others and I began to notice a pattern. These coaches were women who work out daily and were working toward their own fitness goals. They were just allowing others to follow them on their journey. They were strong and confident, but also smart and successful. And most importantly, they were a lot like me. They were moms, not Victoria Secret models. Not what society views as perfect, but "real".

As I continued to see their daily posts and read their blogs, continued to workout myself, something in me began to change. My body wasn't making a major transformation, but my attitude toward it was. I began to see myself differently when I'd look in the mirror. Instead of flabby arms, I saw toned shoulders. Instead of thick thighs, I saw strong legs. Instead of flat boobs, well, I saw and still see flat boobs. But, we're all a work in progress! :)

The process that I was told so often to trust in wasn't just the workouts and physical results, it was the mental changes that were occurring, also. Throughout my "at-home" fitness journey,  I've learned to love my body in a way I never had before. I learned to love myself enough to  live a healthy lifestyle.

ps ~ I'm happy to report that this year I've purchased not one, but three swimsuits.

Head on over to my FB page Kelli Harris Fitness or search @kelliharris.fit on FB for daily motivation, recipes, and  health/fitness tips.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This soup is a staple in our house. We love it in the winter and we love it in the summer. Serve with whole wheat, low-fat cheese quesadillas and you have a delish, healthy meal. Just be sure to make enough for leftovers because it's even better the next day!

 

Ingredients:
* 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil 
* 1 cup onion, chopped 
* 1 cup chopped bell peppers (I use just whatever colors I have)
* 1/2 tsp or about 2 cloves garlic, minced 
* 3 cups low sodium fat-free chicken broth 
* 8 oz can tomato sauce  
* 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish) 
* 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained 
* 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes 
* 1 cups frozen corn 
* 1 tsp cumin 
* 1/2 tsp dried oregano 
* 2 8 oz skinless chicken breasts (16 oz total), shredded    

Directions:

1.  Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat.

2. Add onion and peppers and sauté until soft, about 6-8 minutes (I add a few Tbsp of the chicken broth to the veggies to keep them moist while sautéing an prevent burning). Add garlic for the last couple of minutes 

3. Slowly add the chicken broth, tomato sauce and bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer.

4. Add cilantro, drained beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano and chicken and stir.

5. Cook on low for about 1 hour.  

6. Serve topped with small amount of shredded cheese and a spoonful of medium salsa for a little kick! (I make the soup very mild so my littlest can eat it. Hubby and myself like to add the salsa to spice it up!) 

 

 

 

Serving size = 1.5 cups

Baked Tilapia

Baked Tilapia

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp minced garlic or about 2 cloves (I always keep a jar of the ready-minced garlic in the fridge.)
• 1 tsp  paprika
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp dried mustard
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 4 tilapia filets, thawed

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 400ºF. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium sized bowl combine olive oil, garlic and seasonings.
3. Pour oil/seasoning onto plate. Dip each filet into the seasoning and place it on the baking sheet.
4. Pour any remaining seasoning over the filets on the sheet and place the baking sheet in the oven.
5. Bake for 10 -15 minutes until flaky.

Serve with brown rice and a side of veggies and you have a perfectly balanced meal!

 

Tilapia is a great choice because it is packed full of lean protein and essential nutrients such as B12,  which helps keep you mentally alert; Niacin, which is necessary to keep your body functioning at an optimal level, and Selinium, a nutrient known to decrease your risk against cancer and heart disease. It contains very little fat, no carbs and no sugar and is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can help you maintain a healthy blood pressure and keep heart disease at bay.

 

Coach Kelli

    

    
      Thanks for checking out my FB page and blog! My name is Kelli and I'm a 35 year old, stay-at-home mom of three- ages 8, 5, 4. I began my fitness journey about 3 years ago after months of unsolicited "encouragement" from my husband. (Let's be real- no one wants their significant other telling them they should work out, even if the mean well.) But after watching him go from being tired and moody to his former energetic self after starting P90X, I decided I needed "some of what he was having". I knew deep down that I wasn't being the best mom, wife or me that I could be because I just felt blah all the time. I wanted that energy and confidence back, so I decided to take his advice and start working out. Initially, I was just using the elliptical and treadmill but it made me feel good and gave me something to look forward to every day.

     I saw some of my FB friends post about a Beachbody program they were doing called T25. Looking for something different than my usual workout, I ordered it for myself. That's where it all started. I was hooked! The simplicity and convenience of the Beachbody nutrition guides and workouts I could do at home were just what I needed. (Seriously, loading 2 or 3 kids up and heading to the gym was not happening.) I will admit that with T25 I didn't follow the nutrition guide because I thought I ate "healthy" already. It was when my hubby and I began Body Beast (me and the words Body Beast=funny) that we got serious about the nutrition guide, started drinking Shakeology daily and began eating "clean". After finishing Body Beast I moved on to 21 Day Fix Extreme and am now mid-way through Hammer and Chisel. I also have Cize that I do with me 7 year old.The programs are addicting!

     Anyways, as my initial interest in Beachbody products, health and clean eating grew, I came across pins and posts from Beachbody coaches. These people were so motivating! They made me not only want to work-out, but share my story-journey-passion with others just as they had. So recently I decided to become a Beachbody coach. And by "coach", I simply mean someone who is going to motivate, inspire and help you stay accountable while reaching your fitness goals. I won't harass you to purchase Beachbody products, but I will share with you the products I love and use. You'll likely see workout selfies and food posts, but who doesn't love those! (insert sarcasm)

     So, if your looking to get in shape and shed a few pounds or just be a healthier, happier you please like my Facebook page ( https://www.facebook.com/kelliharris.fit ) and let's get started!